Connecting through Candle Lighting
Connecting through Candle Lighting
For the last year, our candle lighting and Rosh Chodesh days were accompanied by meditations in our Connecting through Candle Lighting project. Every year in the month of Nissan we change the focus of our messages.
This year, we are partaking in a small way the Dee Family project to incorporate the principles of Pirkei Avot – Ethics of our Fathers into our daily lives to make ourselves better people – in memory of Lucy, Maia and Rina Dee.
See here for the full content of the first Pirkei Avot lesson from the Dee Family.
Note: Candle Lighting Times for Melbourne are also available on our website home page.
Discovering Miriam / The Inner Circle
Discovering Miriam / The Inner Circle
With the help of our amazing speakers we discovered the ‘Miriam’ within us. What a powerful evening it was! Who would have thought just two weeks before Pesach more than 60 women would be feeling so relaxed, so nurtured and so empowered. Well, it is a Rosh Chodesh Women’s Circle event after all and the possibilities are endless. Women of different ages and from different communities connected with each other and we all had a great time. The feedback has been phenomenal and we hope it will be the first of many events of self-discovery. We are sharing a few photos with you.
To be part of future events or the RCWC activities in general, now would be a great time to join the Inner Circle. Together, let us draw the inspiration from our ‘Discovery Event’ and from the freeing festival of Pesach in a most meaningful way as we invigorate ourselves post Pesach.
Whether you are an old or upcoming member of Inner Circle, connect with us via website, email or WhatsApp and we’re ready to get moving.
A Journey of Discovery
A Journey of Discovery
Our new project, ‘The Jewish Woman: A Journey of Discovery’, takes us on a meaningful and joyful journey, where we meet extraordinary Jewish women from our past, exceptional and heroic women from the Torah and our history. We will discover how through their faith, courage and wisdom, they faced challenges and forged new paths for us to follow.
In addition we will meet some wonderful women in our community who will share their wisdom and experiences with us. We have so much to learn from each other.
Our first Jewish heroine is the prophetess Miriam and we look forward to exploring and emulating the stellar qualities that Miriam exemplifies. Join us on Rosh Chodesh Nissan, 22nd March as Hadassa Naparstek speaks on “Discover the ‘Miriam’ in You” – The Life and Leadership of Miriam the Prophetess. Miriam Suss, Miriam Pacanowski and Miriam Segal will share their own experiences in finding the ‘Miriam’ within themselves.
A beautiful catered supper, a relaxing pre-Pesach event and a wonderful atmosphere will surely inspire you for a meaningful month of freedom.
To find out more about the event and the speakers be sure to subscribe to our newsletter. You can also find out some more details when you RSVP here.
A Gift From Us
A Gift From Us
Your Jewish birthday is of great significance and we’d like to share it with you. The way to do that is to check out our Significant Day page and then to gain access to the birthday offers and follow the instructions. Let us know that you will be attending the Nissan event so that we can celebrate together at the event. Don’t know when your Jewish birthday is? Check it out here.
Sponsorship Opportunity
Sponsorship Opportunity
Our projects are dedicated to very special people in whose merit we continue with our holy work. Would you like to partner with us by dedicating our newest project ‘The Jewish Woman: A Journey of Discovery’ in honour of a loved one? See our dedications page.
Perth Event
Perth Event
Through their constant faith in Hashem, Carla Nogueira Parise and her whole family converted to Judaism last year. They had no doubt about their choices as they knew Hashem was in charge.
Carla recounted her travels around the world and discovery of Judaism to an audience of about 30 women. After her inspiring talk, women were invited to eat Hamantashen, make mishloach manot to give to others on Purim day, and to try on hats and headscarves from a pop up stall led by Aviva Raiter.
The crowd consisted of many women who had not previously attended and we are delighted that each group brings new women to the group and they can share in this wonderful experience. We can’t wait to see what our next event has in store!
Inner Circle
Inner Circle
The Inner Circle, our much appreciated group of volunteers who value the ethos of the RCWC, is involved in bringing our new project ‘The Jewish Woman: A Journey of Discovery’ to fruition. In addition, Chana Bromberg, a member of the Inner Circle, has undertaken to assess the possibility of starting an Inner Circle affiliate group to celebrate Rosh Chodesh as an Inner Circle group in the unique RCWC style of empowering, connecting and nurturing.
Would you like to find out more about the Inner Circle? We would love to hear from you.
The Perpetual Oil
The "Perpetual" Oil
Take-home Chanukah Message by Elissa Blaser
Among the many things we all think about, is the future. Will something last? Does it have a “long shelf life”? Will this continue for a long time? We look for the “perpetual” gift, the gift we can continue to count on in the future.
Chanukah comes to reassure us. Our blessings from Hashem, the gifts we receive from the Divine, come from the well of Infinity — they have no end. Oil which should have lasted a short while, lasted for 8 days, lasted past ordinary laws into the laws above nature, symbolised by eight. There is a hint in the lights of the Menorah. When we are blessed from Above, and enter the domain of eight, above natural laws, we are in a “perpetual” Bracha. The oil renewed itself; our Brachot renew themselves; and the question: Can this last? Yes, it can.
The Cabbage Patch Doll
The Cabbage Patch Doll
Perth report by Michelle Berg
Once upon a time there was a little girl named Michelle who desperately wanted to become a mummy to a Cabbage Patch Doll. When she finally got the chance to get one at the age of 8, she didn’t choose the gorgeous dolls with long locks and pretty dresses, but the bald boy with the ugly name. Our story presenter for Rosh Chodesh Kislev, Michelle Lewsen, volunteers for the charity Menora in Perth and creates photo books and stories. Through a story, she shared her experience of living with alopecia and how, just as she did with her bald Cabbage Patch Doll, she has learnt to look for inner beauty and help others who need it. Just like Yehudis who stood up for her beliefs, Michelle stands up for others and inspires them.
After Michelle had shared her story, some of the 30 women around the table got up to light a candle to spread the light and share miracles in their lives or occasions that they have been inspired by during the last year. Many women who work with Michelle at the charity attended the group for the first time, and even within a group of strangers women felt at ease to share their most vulnerable moments.
The activity was followed by a spread of Italian-style donuts and sauces, fruit and biscuit platters, hot and cold drinks.
To continue spreading the light in our community, each woman was asked to take a Chanukah Menorah set and give it to someone that they know may need one.
After a 5782 grand finale on Rosh Chodesh Elul the Perth RCWC signed up for 5783 with their first program taking place in Kislev. RCWC looks forward to working with Perth for their next event in Adar and for the rest of the year.
General Report
General Report
The Inner Circle is going from strength to strength as we move forward with our new project ‘The Jewish Woman: A Journey of Discovery’. We’d love to take you on this journey with us, so be sure to let us know of your interest by contacting us.
In general, in lieu of the monthly newsletters and the special edition newsletters, we will be updating our website with news as it happens. So stay in touch with our website, broadcast and facebook pages for all the latest.
We will surprise you with bonanza style newsletters from time to time, for your reading pleasure.
